ASPECTO CONTABLE PARA EFECTUAR AUMENTO DE CAPITAL

The Sun

Anthony Plog chooses Munch's vivid and brilliant depiction of The Sun to begin his cycle of Four Themes on Paintings of Edward Munch. As stated before, each of the chosen works for this piece deal with the main thematic idea of cycles, particularly natural cycles. What is unclear to the viewer and to the listener of both the painting and the musical translation is whether this painting is expressing a rising or setting sun. However, in Plog's depiction, it may be said that both are present. By utilizing a basic ternary form, the opening section might be thought of as a sunrise and the recapitulation symbolize a sunset.

The opening phrase is presented with solo trumpet, two stacked ninths a fifth apart, provide the images of expanse and breadth. Although the painting is enormous, 14.9 feet by 25.6 feet, Plog states, “my inspiration came from the very bright colors (garish in a way), and so that brightness is prominent in much of the writing”. 120121 The brightness of color is evident in Plog's opening statement, which symbolizes sunrise, with the upwardly leaping trumpet. The opening theme is presented in the first six measures and from here, Plog seeks to expound upon this theme.

In order to create severe contrast in color, Munch uses cool blue and earthy green

                                                                                                                          120 I Aulaen4.

hues in the painting. Plog creates similar contrast by prescribing the use of cup mute in measure 14. The leaping intervals of the trumpet are smoothed by the use of this mute. These cool colors fuse together in the ensemble, like in the painting, in measure 17 whereby the contrary chromatic motion meets in the trumpet and organ (Figure 4.2).

Figure 4.2: This passage displaying chromatic contrary motion displays Plog’s musical

translation of Munch’s blending colors.

The organ interlude provides winding chromatic passages that are again joined by the muted trumpet. The contrasts in note length allow for expression of the smoothed lines upon the cool, blue rocks, the darkest portion of this otherwise brilliantly hued painting. Plog composes this by using the original theme, transposed down a major third in measure 33.

In measure 36, the organ begins a repeated and growing theme mounting in intensity until the return of the trumpet in measure 46. As a personal thought of interpretation, it may be imagined that the organ uses this motif to follow the multi- colored radiations back to the sun at center of the painting. The movement ends with a cadence in D major, perhaps symbolizing a blazing sunset and completing the natural cycle.

122

122 Munch, Edvard, Arne Eggum, and Mara-Helen Wood.Edvard Munch: The Frieze of Life. London: National Gallery Publications, 1992.

The Dance of Life

The second movement, The Dance of Life, is a lilting waltz-like triptych that displays three distinct scenes of the life cycle. According to composer, “The three women in the front of the painting portray the passage of life, from innocence through passion to death.”123 Plog states that he views this symbolism from Munch via the dresses worn by the subjects. The dresses white, red, and black refer to innocence, passion, and death, respectively124_{. Plog states that he “uses a constant theme where he} tried to portray these three ideas.”125

The introduction to this movement begins with a four measure, cyclical motif in the organ to create the dance-like feel. The trumpet enters sounding the theme from measure 4 until measure16, outlined in E Lydian. The dampened, cup muted trumpet plays a simple, sweet, and graceful melody perhaps symbolizing youth, naivety, and innocence. In measure 17, the organ transposes the same cyclical motive up one half step (F Lydian) and echoes the theme in the left hand, as the trumpet adds a sweet descant perhaps symbolizing growth.

The second subject, the passionate dancing lady in red, is depicted starting at measure 29. The simple and regular waltz-like feel is abandoned for more adventurous mixed-meter dance. The trumpet's use of a straight mute creates a brighter sound and the busier melody takes the theme upon a longer, more impassioned dance. This section begins in F-sharp Lydian until the transition to G-major in measure 34. This brief touch

                                                                                                                          123 Plog Interview.

124 Plog Interview. 125 PlogInterview.

of G major lasts wistfully until one beat before measure 39, where a smooth, graceful, and flowing chromatic section begins in measure 41.

The lightness and playfulness of the passionate, lady in red may be construed as being tainted by the loss of her innocence and symbolized in the phrase beginning in measure 52. This darker, ominous organ interlude is met with a relentless pulsing eighth note ostinato (Figure 4.4).

Figure 4.4: The driving eighth notes that represent the Munch’s lady in red.

This constant rhythmic pulse depicts the wild passionate dance with man in Munch's painting. It is interesting to note the color change of the faces from innocence to passion. Innocence's face is pink, girlish, and full of health and life. Passion's face is green,

almost putrid, with dark circles around her eyes. This wilted image is personified in Plog's depiction of her loss of innocence. This is quite common in Munch's art. Quite often he depicted women in a negative light, as he felt inferior and rejected from the women he desired.126 Thus in his paintings he depicts the women with “unflattering

                                                                                                                          126 Schmid 3.

physical appearances that overtly express their undesirable inner qualities.”127 The gaunt features of the passionate lady may be symbolized in the organ interlude by harsh,

angular fifths in parallel motion. The trumpet embraces this theme and then brings about a new transition to death in measure 86.

Munch displays the elder lady alone and in sadness, looking back on her two previously lived epochs. Plog composes this frustration in the organ interlude at measure 86, using chromatic right hand flourishes atop the main augmented theme in the left hand and pedals. The trumpet enters again in cup mute in measure 98 with the main theme that is augmented across bar lines while the organ continues the dance that is now in slow quarters. Beginning in measure 102, aberrations in the constant dance rhythm of the organ may symbolically reference death's imminent presence (Figure 4.5).

Figure 4.5: The once driving rhythmic pulse begins to fade to rests. Thus, old age is symbolized.

                                                                                                                          127 Schmid 3.

Soon, her last breaths are depicted as the quadruplet quarters betray all sense of time, and the organ joins on sustained stacked fourths symbolizing stability and finality (Figure 4.6).

Figure 4.6: Death claims the old lady in black as the Dance of Life draws to an end.

128

                                                                                                                          128 Munch, 1893.

Young Woman Embracing Death

The third movement of Plog's Munch cycle continues with the same morose theme that ended the second movement. It is imperative to note a discrepancy in the score in reference to this painting. The score titles the movement Woman Embracing Death and that may describe several of Munch’s works. However, Plog insists, the painting he referenced is titled, Young Woman Embracing Death.129 The depiction of death is common in Munch's works, especially as related to women. One of Munch's most famous works, Death in the Sick Room, displays his ill and dying sister as family and friends surround her bed in sadness. Young Woman Embracing Death, however shows a much different scene altogether; one depicting the seduction and acceptance of death rather than avoidance.

Plog begins this movement by portraying the skeleton in the organ and the young lady in the trumpet (Figure 4.8).130

Figure4.8: The Skelton, representing death, is depicted in the unpredictable rhythms in the organ.

                                                                                                                          129 Plog Interview.

The organ starts in the left hand with disjointed and unpredictable landings for the first 4 measures. In measure 5 Plog adds a squeaking complimented right hand perhaps as to depict the skeleton in an unstable gait. Plog's additional intention was to not only show the embrace of this woman, but her seduction of death.131 This is apparent as the trumpet enters in measure 14 with soft, cup muted flourishes to sustained pitches. This melody sings offering small, calculated gestures, one after another possibly in enticement of death.

This painting of Munch is very minimalistic, featuring only the subjects with no background. Plog finds this interesting and decides to try and approach his translation by, “looking at the subject from both sides.”132 In measure 34, it may be interpreted as the trumpet reacting to death by mimicking the off-kilter movements of the organ. Continuing with this possible analysis, the two paltry characters dance from measures 38 to 44, however, only one character remains. In the end death, the skeleton, walks off alone.

                                                                                                                          131 Plog Interview.

133

                                                                                                                          133 Munch, 1893.

Night

The final movement of the Four Themes on Paintings of Edward Munch is Night. As in the previous movement, the actual work in reference is ambiguous. However, Plog clarified in interview specifically that precise painting referenced is titled Starry Night. This movement he describes simply as “a study of death.”134 The dark colors, and reference to night are a stark contrast from the opening brightness of The Sun. Cycles such as life and death, youth to age, and sunrise and sunset are displayed throughout this work, thus, Starry Night is an apropos finish to complete his Munch cycle.

The organ begins the final movement with a pulsing homophonic rhythm for two measures that may be seen as depicting life, using the same rhythmic technique as in

Dance of Life. The trumpet enters in measure 2, singing a mournful tune. This tune is noted by sustained tones at the beginning and ending of the phrase, with passages of chromatic eighths in the middle. The trumpet repeats this pattern yet again, beginning in measure 9 and one last time beginning at measure 14.

At measure 18, intensity mounts, the organ and trumpet become much more rhythmic. A sequence of chromatic lines occur beginning in measure 24 and ending with a final flourish from the organ in measure 27. Here, Plog, like many composers before him, uses chromaticism to symbolize death.135 In measure 28, the trumpet and organ bring the final movement to a close with the depiction of death, ending on two stacked fifths a half step apart in the organ, and a sustained pitch in the muted trumpet.

                                                                                                                          134 Plog Interview.

135 Famous examples include Dido’s Lament from Henry Purcell,’s Dido and Aeneas, Crucifixus from J.S. Bach’s Mass in B-minor, and Lacrimosa from W.A. Mozart’s Requiem.

CHAPTER 5: MONUMENTS